Motor attachment for sewing-machines.



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T Patented Apr. '24, 1900. c. a. ATKINS & .1. THULIN. MOTOR ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES.

(Application filed Kay 22, 1899.)

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ms uoflms PETERS co. mow-umou wasmras'roN. n. c.

1N0. 648,!85. Pafen t ed A r. 24, I900. c. a. ATKINS & .1. THULIN. MOTOR ATTACHMENT FUR SEWING MACHINES.

(Application filed May 22, 1899.) (I o M o d e l 2 Shoots-Sheet 2.

THE NORRIS PETERS ca, PHuroumo, WASHINGTON n. c.

UNITED STATES CHARLESG. ATKINS AND JOHN THULIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS PATENT Grams.

TO SAMUEL INSULL, OF SAME PLACE.-

MOTOR ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 648,185, dated April 24 1900.

Application filed May 2 2,1 89 9 To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that we, OHARLE'sG. ATKINS and JOHN THULIN, residents of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Motor Attachments for Sewing-Machines and Like Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. v

The present invention, while more especially designed to provideimpro'ved mechanism whereby motors may be applied forthe driving of sewing-machines,-will be found ap, plicable also for the driving of other mechanismsuch as scroll-saws, lathes, or the like- -and the invention is not to be under-' stood, therefore, as restricted in itsapplication' to any particular type of machine to be driven. v v v The object of the invention isprimarily to afford a simple and eflicient means for applying the power of the motor to the machine and for permitting the machine to be readily bed-plate of the-motor.

stopped when the power of the motor is released, so that the machine shall be under the effective control of the operator.

The invention consists in features of im provem'ent hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims at the end'of this specification.

Figure l is a View in rear elevation of a sewing-machinchaving our invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a view in vertical section through the top plate of the machine andthe Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section on line 3 3 of Fig.- 1. Fig. 4 is a detail plan View of the motoiyits rheostat, and adjacent parts.

' A designates the top-plate of a sewing-machine, from which top plate rises the arm B,. wherein is journaled the main drive-shaft O,

having fixed at its outer end the wheel D, this wheel being shown as furnished with an annular grooved offset d, that is connected by a belt c with a small pulley E, conveniently supported by a bracket E, projecting from the vertical part of the arm B. The pulley E is furnished with the usual stem or spindle adapted to receive the spool to be wound with thread. I I

Serial No. 717,681. (Nomodeh) Upon the top plate A of the machine-frame of the sewing-machine shaft 0. The base or movable support G of the motor F is preferably shifted by the following means, although manifestly other suitable devices may be employed for accomplishing this purpose without departing from the scope of the invention.

Beneath the support G extends an angular arm K, the downwardly-bent portiono-f this arm being attached, as at 10, to a lever L, one.

end of which is shown aspivotally connected, as at Z, to a suitable part depending from the top plate of the main frame. The opposite end of the lever Lis' pivotally connected, as at'm, to the upper end of a treadle-rod M,

the lower end of this treadlemod being pivotally attached to an arm 'm of the sewingmachine treadle M, of usual or suitable construction. As shownin Fig; '3,the upper end of the trea'dle-rod M is provided with an offset arm m through which passes a set-screw M by the adjustment of which the extent of upward movement of the rod M can be determined. The weight of the motor F and of its support G is preferably counterbalanced by a spring N, and, as shown in Fig. 2 of the I v drawings, the lowerend of this spring passes through a' hole in the support G and bears against the top plate A of the main frame, While the upper part of the spring is held within a casing N. This casing N is furnished with a screw-threaded cover n, whereby the top of the casing is closed and whereby also the tension of the spring may be varied, or, if preferred, an adjusting-screw for the spring may pass through the top of the casing N. The casing N has flanges at its base that are screwed to the support G.

- When the motor F is in normal position-- endyof the rod R.

that is to say, out of action-the parts will occupy the position shown in the several views of the drawings, and at such time the drivepulley f of the motor will stand slightly away from the periphery of the wheel D, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. lVhen, however, it is desired .to start the sewing-machine, the operator will depress the front end of the treadle M, thereby forcing upward the treadle-rod M and through the medium of the lever L and arm K lifting the support G apd the motor F until the drive-pulleyf of the motor bears firmly against the periphery of the wheeliD.

In order to promptly arrest the movement of the sewing-machine and thus place it under effective control of the operator, we provide a brake mechanism, preferably of the construction next to be described. To the lever L is connected a rod R, the upper threaded end of which passes through one end of a lever S, that is pivoted to a bracket.

s, rising from the top plate A of the main frame. The opposite end of the lever S is connected by a link 3 with a brake-lever T. The lower end of the brake-lever T is pivotally connected to a bracket 1, while its upper end carries a brakeshoe T, adapted to engage with the periphery of the wheel D. Preferably a coil-spring V encircles the rod R beneath the lever S, the tension of this spring being regulated by a thumb-nut rupon the threaded It will thus be seen that when the operator depresses the front portion of the treadle M the drive-pulley of the motor F is thrown into engagement with the wheel D of the sewing-machine, and'the rear end of the lever S is raised, so as to retract the brake-lever T and hold the brake-shoe T away from. the wheel D. Inasmuch as the rear end of the lever S rests upon the coilspring V it will be seen that during the lifting of the lever S the spring is compressed somewhat, and hence the brake-shoe is grad ually withdrawn from the drive-wheel D, thus preventing too sudden'starting of the machine. When, however, the opposite end of the treadle M is depressed, the drive-pulley of the motor will cease to engage the wheel D and the brake-shoe T will be thrown into engagement with the periphery of the wheel D, and thus promptly arrest the operation of the machine.

Our invention affords a simple and efiective means whereby sewing machines and like mechanism may be easily and eifectively driven by motors, the construction of parts being such that the starting and stopping of the machine are placed under the easy control of the operator, whose hands are left entirely free for the manipulation of the work.

It is manifest that the precise details of construction above set out may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention and that any suitable type of motor may be employed. a

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is y 1. An attachment forsewing-machines comprising a motor provided with a drive-wheel, a movable support wherebysaid-motor is sustained, a pivoted lever for shifting said motorsupport, a treadle-rod connected to said pivoted lever, a brake for engaging the mechanism to be driven and suitable lever mechanism intermediate said brake and said treadlerod.

2. An attachment for sewing-machines or like mechanism, com prisinga motor provided at one end witha drive-wheel, amovable support for said motor adapted to be mounted upon the machine-table,alever provided with means whereby it may be pivotally connected to the machine-table, said lever being connected to the motor-support whereby said support may be raised to throw its drive-wheel into engagement with the machine, and a treadle-rod connected to said lever.

3. An attachment for sewing1naehines or like mechanism comprising a motor having a drive-wheel at one end, a support whereby said motor may be pivotally sustained upon the machine-table with said wheel in the vertical plane of the drive-wheelof the machine to be driven, a lever provided witlrmeans whereby it may be pivotally connected to the machine-table, said lever being connected to the motor-support, a treadle-rod connected to motor having a drive-Wheel arranged in the same plane as the drive-wheel of the machine and in proximity thereto, a hinged support for said motor mounted upon the table of the machine and whereby the drive-wheel of the motor may be moved into engagement with said drive-wheel of the machine, a pivoted lever connected to said motor-support, a treadle connected to said lever, a brake mounted above the machine-table and lover mechanism connected with the treadle for throwing said brake out of action. Y

5. An attachment for sewing-machines or like mechanism, comprising a motor, a movable support for said motor whereby it may be thrown into gear with the machine to be driven, a treadle for operating said motorsupport, a brake for arresting the movement of the machine when the motor is thrown out of gear therewith, suitable connections between said brake and said treadle and a spring interposed between the treadle mechanism and the brake whereby the release of the brake from the machine is gradually effected.

6. The combination with asewing-machine or like mechanism, having a drive-wheel, ofa motor having a drive-pulley arranged in the same plane as the drive-wheel of the machine,

IIO

a hinged support for said motor whereby the pulley of the motor may be brought into engagement with said drive-Wheel of the madrive-pulley arranged to engage the drivewheel of the machine, a lever L connected with said motor-support, a treadle-rod M and treadle for shifting said motor-support, a brake-lever T provided with a brake T and a lever S connected with the brake-lever T at one end and connected at its opposite end with the lever L whereby the motor-support is shifted.

CHARLES G. ATKINS. JOHN THULIN.

WVitnesses:

GEO. P. FISHER, J r., ALBERTA ADAMIOK. 

